The Cleveland Guardians are promoting infielder Travis Bazzana, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, to their major league roster, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. Bazzana will slot in at second base for Cleveland.
Report: Guardians Promoting 2024 No. 1 Pick Travis Bazzana for MLB Debut
Hailing from Hornsby, Australia, Bazzana was an immensely talented second baseman during his college career at Oregon State. Across three seasons with the Beavers, he slashed .360/.497/.660 with 45 home runs, 165 RBI, and 52 doubles. Since getting drafted, Bazzana has spent three seasons in the minor leagues across four levels: Rookie ball, A-Advanced, Double-A, and Triple-A. Entering this season, Baseball America rated him the No. 22 overall prospect in baseball, while MLB Pipeline ranked him No. 20. While that’s a slight drop from his No. 10 ranking ahead of 2025, the consensus remains that Bazzana has the makings of a star player.
The Cleveland Guardians are calling up former No. 1 overall pick Travis Bazzana, sources tell ESPN. Bazzana, 23, hit .287/.422/.511 in 24 Triple-A games this season and will take over at second base for a Guardians team that’s a half-game back of first in the AL Central.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) April 28, 2026
So far this season with Triple-A Columbus, Bazzana is slashing .287/.422/.511 with two home runs, 10 RBI, and 11 doubles in 24 games. Earlier this spring, he suited up for his home country in the World Baseball Classic. He only went 3-for-16 in four games, but contributed a homer and two RBI, making him one of several minor league stars to leave a mark at the WBC.
The 23-year-old stands at 5′ 11″ and 199 lbs, giving him a build with plenty of power potential, especially for a second baseman. He also has a good deal of speed, stealing 36 bases in his sophomore year at Oregon State. Cleveland will hope he can provide some pop to an offense largely known for contact hitting over power. While Bazzana did not quite crack the Opening Day roster this season, his early promotion gives him plenty of time to make an impact at the big league level, both for the Guardians and for any fantasy baseball managers who decide to take a flyer on him.
Main Photo Credit: Phil Masturzo/Beacon Journal
